By Bin Guan (@YorktelCorp)
As I recently wrote about in the Cisco Tribune, although video conferencing has been available for over three decades, recently introduced technology has dramatically altered the industry landscape.
Video and audio quality are much better, while the actual systems are getting much smaller and less obtrusive. Pricing has come down significantly and the standard user interface is easier than ever to use, elevating the consumer experience to unprecedented heights.
More and more, people are using video conferencing as part of their every day routines. Unfortunately, video conferencing is still not as easy as a telephone call.
We face challenges such as interoperability, B2B, B2C, etc., in our quest to empower people with the tools to connect any time with any device from anywhere.
Like most industry pros, I give thanks for Cisco technologies. Why? It can bring together different manufacturer platforms (Polycom, Cisco, LifeSize, Radvision/Avaya, etc.), different technologies (H.323, SIP, TIP), different video encodings (H.261, H.263, H.264 AVC, H.264 SVC), different audio encodings (G.7xx, AAC-LC/LD, Polycom Siren 14, etc.), and different video resolutions (from QCIF to 1080p60) in the same conference. Further, it doesn’t matter if you are using immersive rooms, conference rooms, desktop or mobile video applications.
Also important to note, is that Cisco technology is able to integrate with Microsoft Lync without a gateway service. Plus, users are able to videoconference simply from a web browser based via WebRTC.
Overall, pioneers like Cisco have tried very hard to solve industry challenges such as interoperability and security. But as most of us have learned, technology only solves half of the problem.
User experience continues to be extremely important. Leveraging Cisco, Yorktel VideoCloud services provide any to any video collaboration. Users can access their Virtual Meeting Room (VMR) anytime from any device (immersive, boardroom, desktop/laptop, tablet/smartphone, telephone, etc.) from anywhere (Enterprise MPLS, Internet, LTE, etc.) with easy access.
Video Conferencing, visual communications and collaboration solutions are evolving at breakneck speeds. And thanks to companies like Cisco and Yorktel, end-users will continue to be the beneficiaries of our continued advancements.